THREE police forces in the North West are to unveil plans for a joint motorway policing unit to fight terrorism and organised crime.

Lancashire, Merseyside and Cheshire constabularies will form a single group covering 10 motorways across an area spanning about 3,000 square miles.

It will improve cross-border cooperation and promote "intelligence-led" operations against terrorists and organised crime gangs.

The North West Motorway Policing Group will be staffed by 110 police officers and 30 support workers.

There will be five bases across the region with a 24-hour control centre based at the Highways Agency Regional Control Centre in Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside.

The group will be headed by Cheshire's Assistant Chief Constable David Baines and will cover parts of the M6 and the M55, M65, M61, M58, A601(M), M57, M62, M56 and M53.

Already, a Central Motorway Police Group is in place across 196 miles of motorway in the Staffordshire, West Mercia and West Midlands force areas.

Mr Baines will unveil the plans at the Regional Control Centre at 10.30am today.